eBay rules
 

its just life!

Khushy

Yeah, not much you can do with the old "this item is advertised elsewhere..." clause.

eBay used to be good, but I think it sucks now

Selling regulations - you have made an offer but the buyer doesn't have to accept nor does he have to sell it to you.

That's just the way it works I'm afraid.

If he'd put that clause in, I wouldn't mind, but he hasn't.... and there's only 6 hours remaining so I know he can't end the auction under ebay rules...

Sucks...

ebay "rules" are not law.

By law he has every right to withdraw an item without notice.

I wouldn't hold your breath if you wanted to test ebay rules in a courtroom!

If you want to make life difficult for him you can let the auction run and he'll have to pay commission on the final price. More importantly you can leave feedback...

I accept that ebay 'rules' are not law.

Just strikes me as a bit odd, that if I bid on an item I enter into (according to ebay) a legal contract to buy an item, but a seller can pull out at anytime??

What about if I haven't seen his email and win the item and go ahead and pay for it through paypal?? All seems a bit cr*ppy to me

That's what I'm going to do - I don't want a 'bid retraction' on my history

IANAL, but that's not quite true...

The process is that you make an offer as a purchaser, and the seller can than either accept or reject that offer.

Should the seller accept your offer, you've then entered into a contract, at which point you must purchase the item.

Auctions are a bit funny because it includes a timed element (deadline) to which all offers are submitted. Until that deadline passes and the seller accepts your offer, there is no legally binding contract.

ebay just makes up their own rules to suit them - remember they get paid for the listing, get paid commission at the end and get a cut of the money if the transaction takes place using PayPal. It is in their interest for auctions to finish and not be withdrawn!

However, it is a bit *****, so I agree that you should keep your bid in ("but I didn't receive the email in time!") and let him worry about it. He can easily end the auction early if he knows where to look ... and again ebay hide this quite well as they want their cash!

You can't end an auction which ends in less than 12 hours can you?

Only if there are no bids on it.

The auction is still running - my bid is still valid (3 hours or so to go at the moment). He ended other items that had no bids, but can't end the ones where there are bidders.

Yes you can, but you have to cancel all bids first
It's all there if you know where to look

Just say you've been out and didn't see his email till after the end of the auction.

Of course if you get the stage of leaving feedback then he can leave feedback for you as well.

I got stung, won a 996 got a mail from the guy saying "congrats to you got your self a bargin" sorted out transfering the cash to my brother in the UK the same day, next day i got a mail saying "sorry but there have been a change in circumstances the bike is no longer for sale" now that sucked as i lost out on sending cash to the UK due to bank charges and exchange rates, could i do anything about it. NO all you can do is leave negative feed back :(

so dont ebay have the same laws as an auction, ?

Seems not... having calmed down i've let it go and put it down to experience... :(